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Latest Cycling News for July 22, 2005

Edited by Jeff Jones & Shane Stokes

Cancellara to CSC

Swiss rider Fabian Cancellara will ride for Team CSC for the next three
years, Cyclingnews has learned. Currently with Fassa Bortolo, which
will stop at the end of the year, Cancellara should be a valuable ally
to Ivan Basso and co., and will certainly strengthen the team in the team
time trial.

Three CSC riders extend

Team CSC extended the contracts of three of its riders on Friday: Nicki
Sørensen, Kurt-Asle Arvesen, and Giovanni Lombardi. All three have signed
deals until the end of 2007.

"At the moment we're trying to set up the team for the next couple of
years, and it's really important to reward and hang on to the riders who
have helped bring us to the level we're at now," said Bjarne Riis. "Throughout
the last few years we have created a foundation, consisting of riders
who can win races as well as contribute in a major way to our work towards
a bigger goal. This is true for the three riders, with whom we've chosen
to extend."

Cunego satisfied with restart

Damiano Cunego (Lampre-Caffita) has had a good return to competition,
taking the bunch sprint for fifth place in the first
stage of the Brixia Tour on Friday. The stage was 170 km between San
Vigilio di Concesio and Toscolano Maderno, and had three climbs, the last
one at 10 km to go. Davide Rebellin won the stage ahead of Emanuele Sella
and Igor Astarloa.

"I'm not brilliant as I'd like to be, but it is normal," said Cunego.
"The race was very animated and I tried to stay as long as possible on
Astarloa's wheel. Then I took my own pace. I'm happy with this result,
let's see now what's gonna happen on the Time Trial of ValPalot."

Zabel still undecided

By Susan Westemeyer

Veteran T-Mobile sprinter Erik Zabel still hasn't decided where he will
ride next year. The team has made him "a good offer", he said as commentator
on German television during yesterday's stage, "but after 13 years, I
have earned a very good offer." He also noted that he has "another offer,
that is just a little better."

It's rumoured the T-Mobile offer is a two year deal with a modest pay
cut, followed by another year as a press officer. Domina Vacanze, which
recently acquired Alessandro Petacchi, is believed to be the other team
courting Zabel.

Zabel said that all interested parties will sit down together Monday
and talk it over. "The decision doesn't have to be made then, I have time,"
he noted. He expects to announce his decision no later than the HEW Cyclassics
race in Hamburg on July 31.

He admits that being left off the T-Mobile Tour team was painful: "That
was a kick in the place where it hurts most. First I had to get over that.
It is known that I have offers from other teams. On the other hand, after
13 years with the team, I feel committed to it. That is also important.
I have to think about all of that."

Aldag leads team in Wallonia

One day after the Tour de France ends in Paris, another veteran Rolf
Aldag will lead another wave of T-Mobile riders in the five day Tour de
la Région Wallonne in Belgium.

Aldag has been working on the Tour as a co-commentator for the TV station
ZDF but with every second day off, has used that free time to get in some
important training. He will be joined in Belgium by newly-crowned Russian
champion Sergey Ivanov, plus the climbing specialists Sergey Yakovlev
and Paco Lara. Torsten Hiekmann and neo-pro Marcus Burghardt complete
the squad, which will be directed by Giovanni Fidanza.

The 2.HC ranked Tour de la Région Wallonne begins on Monday with a 172
kilometre stage from Brussels to Soignies. Thursday's fourth stage is
likely to be the most difficult due to the four first category climbs
en route to Houffalize. A number of strong teams will take part, including
CSC, Fassa Bortolo, Phonak, Quick. Step and Davitamon-Lotto.

Fracture for Gonzalez de Galdeano

Liberty Seguros rider Igor Gonzalez de Galdeano has been diagnosed with
a broken coccyx (tailbone), 12 days after he pulled out of the Tour de
France. The rider underwent a new MRI scan this week due to the persistent
backaches he has suffered since his bad crash on stage nine of the race.

The Liberty Seguros rider must take a break and allow the injury to
heal, with rest the only treatment for the fracture. Manolo Saiz will
wait for him to recover before designing his program for the rest of the
season. In theory, the Vuelta a España is a big objective, providing he
can get into condition for the race.

Redondo makes pro debut in the Villafranca de Ordizia

In other Liberty news, Jose Antonio Redondo will make his pro debut
in the Gran Premio Villafranca de Ordizia on Monday. Born in Alcazar de
San Juan (Ciudad Real), the 21 year old has been competing this year with
the Würth-Liberty Seguros under-23 squad and took a victory in Ororbia
(Navarra).

Kemps, Nozal and Paulinho will then go on to ride the G.P. of Hamburg
on July 31, together with Allan Davis, Koen de Kort and Jan Hruska.

World Champion Michael Rogers to Race in Britain

Double world time trial champion Michael Rogers has the chance to bounce
back from his Tour de France disappointment when he lines out in the Tour
of Britain on August 30. The Quick.Step rider will be aiming to get back
to the sort of form which saw him hold the leader's jersey in the Tour
of Switzerland.

The six man ProTour squad will also include fellow Tour de France riders
Stefano Zanini, winner of Tour of Britain stage 1 last year, and Wilfried
Cretskens.

Three strong riders complete the team, namely Filippo Pozzato, Davide
Bramati and Nick Nuyens. Between them they have won stages in the Tour
de France and Vuelta a España, plus the prestigious Paris-Brussels and
Het Volk events.

Tour of Britain race director Tony Doyle today welcomed the news of
Michael Rogers's participation. "This is a great coup for the Tour of
Britain," he said. "Having an elite rider like Michael is testament to
the quality of the Tour of Britain. Michael is a tremendous rider, and
to have a reigning world champion in any race is a sign of quality. He
and the Quick.Step team will come into the tour with the view and mission
statement for success."

Yorkshire Tour ride

A mass-participation ride has been launched to coincide with the Tour
of Britain. Called the Yorkshire Tour Ride, it's a three-route ride open
to all cyclists and will be run on August 28. Entrants will receive transponder
timing, mechanical and nutritional back-up, full signposting and the backing
of British Cycling.

Snake Pass Pedal - 80km (50 miles)
Intermediate Distance
Miss the monster climb of Holme Moss, but tackle the Snake Pass and enjoy
the best scenery of the ride in the closing miles through Derbyshire.

Le Bradfield Bicyclette - 30km (18.5 miles)
Fun Distance
Ideal for beginners and those at the early stages of building up their
cycling fitness, this is an easy drift through the dales and valleys of
the Bradfield area on the endge of the Pennines.

Funeral arrangements for Amy Gillett

A funeral and memorial service for Australian Amy Gillett, who was killed
in Germany last week, will be held in her home town of Ballarat, Australia
on Friday, July 29. A further memorial service will be held in Adelaide
on Friday, August 5. More details will be available next week.